A WW&F engine crew blows for the tiny rural crossing at Alna Center, Maine. In the early 1900s, the road system in Maine was pretty primitive and mostly unpaved. These local roads served the needs of the community, but most commerce relied heavily on the two-foot railway systems that ran north from bustling coastal ports to the remote, rural communities. By the mid-1930s, both the road systems and road vehicles had improved to the point that they were more versatile and cheaper to operate than the railroads. Once that happened, the railroad business died in short order. By the late 1930s, Maine's 2-foot railways were pretty much gone. Fortunately, folks who visit Maine can get a taste of what it was like back in the day. All they need to do is visit the WW&F Railway Museum.
